Football news

Former Ipswich and QPR manager Jim Magilton has been appointed head coach of two-time Australian A-League champions Melbourne Victory for the remainder of the season.

Magilton, 42, a former N. Ireland international, replaces Mehmet Durakovic, who was sacked on Friday just seven months into his tenure after three consecutive losses in a dismal season.

Magilton said he was confident of success in the A-League, where British managers Steve McMahon and Terry Butcher struggled.

“I am passionate, I am meticulous, I am astute and I am very much hands-on,” he said.

Victory lie eighth in the 10-team A-League, with three wins, six draws and five losses.

Robben keen for new Bayern deal

Bayern Munich forward Arjen Robben says he would be keen on extending his contract with the Bundesliga club when it expires next year.

The Dutchman has missed much of the current campaign due to injury but is now working his way back to full fitness during the Bundesliga’s winter break.

“The club knows what I think about it,” Robben said.

“I feel very happy here and I have a great relationship. At the moment, I cannot see any reason why I should leave.”

United rubbish Rooney exit report

Manchester United and Wayne Rooney moved swiftly to deny a report that the striker was poised to leave Old Trafford, dismissing the claim as “nonsense.”

A report suggested Alex Ferguson was ready to sell the club’s talismanic striker after a breakdown in relations with the player.

However, a joint statement issued late Friday dismissed the claims as rubbish.

“The player and the manager have always had, and retain, the utmost respect for each other and look forward to working together in the coming seasons,” the statement said.

“Any suggestion that Manchester United and Wayne Rooney are to part company is complete nonsense.”

Raul eyes Schalke extension

Schalke striker Raul is set to extend his contract with the Bundesliga club after expressing his desire to stay with the Royal Blues.

Raul moved to Gelsenkirchen from Real Madrid 18 months ago and, with the prospect of another season of Champions League football next season, he admitted that he would be happy to extend his deal, which expires in June.

“I hope I can carry on playing with Schalke because I am very happy here,” he said.

“I am optimistic that we will reach an agreement. At the moment, there is absolutely no reason not to extend my contract with Schalke.”

Fiorentina want striker Chamakh

Reports in Italy are saying that Fiorentina want to fill the void left by striker Alberto Gilardino with the signing of Marouane Chamakh from Arsenal.

The Serie A club are planning to make a bid to take the Morocco international on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Gilardino joined Genoa last week and coach Delio Rossi is now hunting for a new goal-getter for the team.

Other strikers linked with a move to Florence this month are Amauri, of Juventus, and Maxi Lopez, who plays for Catania.

Chamakh, 27, joined Arsenal in 2010 on a free transfer from France’s Bordeaux.

Rangers’ McCoist rejects Edu bid

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has confirmed the club has rejected a bid for Maurice Edu from Sochaux.

The French club revealed yesterday the US midfie­lder is high on their wanted list this month. However, McCoist insists they are nowhere near matching the Scottish champions’ valuation of the player.

He said: “We rejected a bid from Sochaux for Maurice and I can tell you that I want Maurice Edu to sign a new contract rather than go anywhere.

“I genuinely don’t know if they will come back in. What I would say is the bid that they put in was so far away that I would be very surprised if they came back in.”

Coach Dutt gets Leverkusen backing

Bayer Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt has been given a vote of confidence by his club’s chairman Wolfgang Holzhauser, who has set him the target of a top-four finish this season.

After finishing runners-up to Borussia Dortmund last season, Leverkusen have struggled to live up to that achievement and they lie in sixth position at the turn of the year with a deficit of seven points to make up on fourth place between now and May.

Dutt, who replaced Jupp Heynckes in summer, has even had to endure calls for him to be sacked from frustrated fans who had set their sights on the title this season.

However, Holzhauser said: “When I say that the coach is assured of his job, then I don’t mean that only in the mid-term, but also long-term.”